The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports that Packers WR Robert Brooks is planning on participating in all seven of the team's minicamp practices over the next two weeks in his continued comeback from the lower-back injury that earlier this spring looked like a threat to his career. The team is much more hopeful than they were earlier this off-season that Brooks will be back in 1999. "Robert has been doing some serious training in Arizona," coach Ray Rhodes said, "and I've been in communication with him during the whole period. He assured me a few weeks ago he's ready to go." "My back's feeling great," Brooks said. "All I've been doing is strength-type things, get my strength up, just running and trying to get my conditioning back to where it needs to be."

D. Orlando Ledbetter reports for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that the Packers are looking at QB Brett Favre among others as potential contract restructuring candidates. "We've talked about it," said Lance Lopes, the Packers' chief negotiator. The Packers need more cap room to sign their 10 unsigned draft picks and WR Antonio Freeman. The team has already restructured WR Robert Brooks' contract (as reported earlier), and they would also like to restructure Gilbert Brown's deal as well. "We are going to have to take advantage of the system," general manager Ron Wolf said. "We have to utilize it the way every body else is doing." "Everybody knows what we are going to do," Wolf said. "I just don't want to spell it out. We have to restructure some deals." Because of the planned restructuring, the Packers are in a position where they don't have to release any veterans to stay under the cap. Favre signed a seven-year, $47 million deal in 1997. By redoing Favre's deal, the Packers could keep him in line with the top quarterback salaries and create room below the salary cap. Agents for Favre and Brown were not available for comments.

The AP reports the Green Bay Packers and WR Robert Brooks came to an agreement last week on a new deal which will open up even more room for the team under the salary cap. Brooks was scheduled to earn $1.8 million this season, but his new deal will pay him $700,000. The team is expecting him to participate in their upcoming minicamp which begins tomorrow.